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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 4, 1980)
aovmoo cjNnouy? Rock Rider to fight evil on Rockboard By CINDY GEE Battalion Staff Rock Rider, sporting pink gog gles and a "spacey” helmet, flies around the world on his wheel-less skateboard smashing evil and promoting good, but it’s not all that easy. For every move Rock makes, ev ery second Rock is brought to life, someone has to draw 12 pictures showing even the slightest move ment Rock makes, transfer those drawings onto sheets of acetate, re trace the drawing with black ink, col or it and finally film it. It’s a tedious and timely process — for every one second of film, at least 1,800 more are spent produc ing it. Even though there can be a lot of money in making animated films, not too many people pursue it. But Eric Schulte, an engineering design graphics major at Texas A&M University, decided he would. Schulte got the idea for the Rock Rider series “Midnight Virtues” from a picture he saw drawn by Jon Hennigan, a co-worker at Texas Transportation Institute. The main character, Rock, is not related to Rock the Good Ag, but he does display an occasional gig ’em, as his creators are Aggies. Hennigan said he’s been draw ing graphics for quit some time, but he said when Schulte showed him how his pictures could move, that got him hooked. He said with scien ce fiction animation there are really no limits. “You can put that character any where you want, and make him look any way you want,” he said. “If you want him to have one leg instead of two, it’s fine.” Schulte and Hennigan work with a handful of other people on Mon day and Thursday nights, complet ing about two seconds of film a week. The film will eventually evolve into a 10 to 15 minute series. Schulte is funding the project him self and is doing it mainly for the exposure, experience and money. He and Hennigan hope to sell the film upon completion to Home Box Office, which pays $1000 a minute. Anyone interested in learning ab out animated film production and who wants to lend a hand in helping Rock spread his message — con verting people over to the good side — is welcome to help out on Mon day and Thursday nights in 304 Old Engineering Building. “We’ll take anybody that can hold a brush and won’t mess up too much,” Hennigan said. “We’ll even put their name on our credit list.” MSC OUTDOOR RECREATION EQUIPMENT RENTAL Phone: 845-4511 Hours: Monday 8 a.m.-12 noon Tuesday 12 noon-5 p.m. Thursday 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Friday 1 p.m.-6 p.m. canoes backpacks stoves tents lanterns and so much more! Equipment rental is open to students, faculty and staff of TAMU. Reservations may be made up to two weeks in advance of rental date. A reservation list is located by MSC Outdoor Recreation cubicle in room 216 MSC. Equipment not reserved is available on a first come, first serve basis. Call during rental hours (845-4511) to check on availability of any item. All equipment is picked up & returned behind Grove Screen. Sirloin Strip • Filet • Rib Eye.* Shrimp Scampi • Prime Rib • Rainbow Trout • Top Sirloin*Stuffed Flounder*T-Bone*Quail RESTAURANT HOURS Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-lO p.m. Saturday 6-11 p.m. Daily Lunch Special $3.95 Daily Dinner Special $7.95 TWO 1/2 PRICE HAPPY HOURS Monday-Friday 4-6:30 p.m. — 10 p.m. to close 815 Harvey Rd. (Highway 30) College Station, Texas 77840 693-1991 Yes! We do take reservations!